Cardinals chat with Derrick Goold

Bring your Cardinals questions and comments, and talk to Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold in a live chat.at 1 p.m.

Didn't happen. That was on the table for the new CBA, and it just never got traction.

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 6:48:35 PM

Diaz thrived at the plate last year but not in the field. Do you feel like the offensive expectations are further eroding his overall play? If he were at 3rd or 2B do you think he would regain some level of comfort at the plate?

by Cru Jones5/1/2017 6:50:50 PM

I don't get that sense, no. He does seem to embody a lot of what Carpenter was suggesting for the entire team the other day -- this "spillover" effect. The Cardinals see something go wrong on defense, so they try to push to make something on offense, that goes awry so they try to do something more on baserunning, and get thrown out, so they go for the bigger, better, absurd play on defense. There have been a few errors that Diaz has made this season that were put on him -- and he didn't deserve. One example: If Martinez comes off the bag to catch the ball and hold the runner at third the other day, then there is no error on the play, and everyone is lauding Diaz for keeping the ball in the infield to hold back the key run. That's the edge. It's entirely likely that Diaz's bat and his glove take him to another position at some point, but it's too early to dismiss the possibility that he could be average shortstop. He has the tools. He is gaining the instincts. He could use some help.

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 6:53:25 PM

Do you think Piscotty's new contract has anything to do with his struggles? He looks off. I found it concerning that he approached the team about an extension so that he could take the business side of baseball out of his mind. That sounds like something a head case would say, no?

by cardsfan10105/1/2017 6:53:43 PM

It does not, no. First of all, "head case" is too freely used as a term. It's insulting, mostly. Second, whatever your definition of "head case" is I'm going to imagine that Stephen Piscotty is the opposite of that.

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 6:54:33 PM

A follow-up question: do you feel like this team has a lot of hitters who excel when their offense is viewed as "found money" but aren't prepared to be saddled with "core" expectations?

by Cru Jones5/1/2017 6:54:45 PM

Maybe. They could use another core hitter, for sure.

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 6:54:55 PM

Are the Cards happy with Grichuk so far? He has not cranked a lot of HRs, but seems to be getting timely hits, despite his strikeouts.

by Kevin in DC5/1/2017 6:54:59 PM

They are. Matheny recently lauded the improvements they've seen from Grichuk and suggested how snug a fit he's become for the back end of the order. They see his cold streaks narrowing.

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 6:55:34 PM

Congratulations on your latest award. Keep it up.

by AustinTx5/1/2017 6:56:27 PM

Thanks. Much appreciated.

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 6:56:34 PM

Why do you think that the cardinals will not win the division they are only 1 game back of the cubs? I think they still have a chance.

by Grich25425/1/2017 6:56:46 PM

Because I think the Cubs are a better team.

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 6:56:59 PM

If a team had two "long relievers" then they could use the first one, eh?

by Stan in Indiana5/1/2017 6:57:20 PM

Have you seen what Xavior scruggs has been doing in Korea? Maybe the Cardinals should of held on to him. : )

by Grich25425/1/2017 6:57:22 PM

So he could sit the bench and get three, four at-bats a week? Yeah, there's not really a role for him on this team if there's not a role for Tommy Pham or if there's still trouble and angst about how they should play Matt Adams. Heck, within the hopper there are questions about why Adams isn't playing more and why Adams is playing as much as he is. So it goes.

I think the Cubs are beatable if we could get our act together. Do you agree?

by Kevin in DC5/1/2017 7:02:06 PM

Pitching has to be -- and can be -- the Cardinals' edge. That's it. They need the Cubs' pitching to falter to create an opening for them. If the Cubs are the Cubs, they're the better team. They need to slip somewhere for the Cardinals to have a chance.

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 7:02:42 PM

enjoy your answers and insight. Piscotty is struggling in the OF. Could it be better to switch our LF and RF. LF is all Martinez can play adequately too. Carp could bat 2nd with Diaz moving 3rd based on the pitches he takes for base runners and spraying of hits.

by jdoc5/1/2017 7:02:58 PM

Piscotty's play in right field has been curious. He has the better arm of the candidates and last year he was a plus-fielder in right. That's a good fit for him, when he's at his best and when he's moving well. Seems like Grichuk in left and Piscotty in right is still the play for now, and moving them around wouldn't yield the upgrade you're trying to produce. Martinez can play either corner adequately. First base is where his inexperience shows.

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 7:04:16 PM

Giants lose MadBum, Mets lose Thor, if we fall into the WC group who's our toughest competition now? If CMart rights his ship I see us a 88-90 win group still with our starters

by Jeff5/1/2017 7:04:29 PM

I picked the Rockies at the beginning of the year. Sticking with the Rockies as the answer.

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 7:04:42 PM

Any reason, regardless of Peralta's health, that Gyrko in't starting everyday at 3B until something changes dramatically with his offensive production?

by Cru Jones5/1/2017 7:04:59 PM

I cannot think of one, no. Outside of, you know, not playing 27 days consecutive.

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 7:05:13 PM

Hi Derrick, by creating paternity leaves, shorter DL's for concussions, shortening the standard DL to 10 days from 15, etc, haven't they effectively gone a long way towards accomplishing a 26 man roster through the back door? I am not taking any opinion on these actions, just noting them. thanks

by Luis Melendez5/1/2017 7:05:27 PM

Excellent point, and that is what several folks around baseball are eager to see: How the use of the 10-day DL becomes an effective 26-man or 27-man roster (on doubleheader days). It's possible. It's really done it with the pitching staff.

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 7:06:10 PM

Paul DeJong, mentioned earlier, has just hit another HR.

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 7:06:54 PM

Here's a podcast conversation with DeJong about his advancement, the path not taken, and how he views his improvement as a hitter:

stltoday.comA foursome of Cardinals minor-leaguers have announced their presence at spring training with strong performances in the early Grapefruit League games: scrappy Harrison Bader, speedy Magneuris Sierra, resurgent Patrick Wisdom,

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 7:07:41 PM

How often do the players family's attend games especially home games, as in how often is wainwrights family their, or carpenters, or yadi's?

by Grich25425/1/2017 7:09:04 PM

Depends entirely on the family -- and how many kids they have. At this time of year, many of the kids have school, and they're not spending all the time at the ballpark, just like your kids or kids you know. They probably attend as many games as any season ticket holder with kids. Some families don't even live in St. Louis, so they're not attending many games at all. There is no broad sweeping answer other than there's probably always a family in attendance. Probably a few. It's just not always the same few.

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 7:10:38 PM

It is too bad Leake did not get the win yesterday. He seems to have improved drastically--what has he done to be effective this year as opposed to last? The defense behind him is not much better, if at all.

by Kevin in DC5/1/2017 7:10:52 PM

The defense behind him HAS improved. But that is just a further indictment on how ragged the defense was a year ago. He's also learned a little bit about how to pitch differently because of that experience. You're seeing a pitcher who is blending the approach he had last season -- with increased strikeouts -- with the kind of pitcher he always, from quick outs to relentless strikes. That's what is working for him. He's become a blend of the two approaches and this spring showed how much of each to be. There's no reason why he cannot maintain this quality start run.

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 7:12:20 PM

What's the status of Marco Gonzales and Luke Weaver?

by Jerry Hutchinson5/1/2017 7:12:21 PM

Updated right off the hop, at the start of the chat.

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 7:12:31 PM

How much revenue does a team typically lose on a rainout? I know fans can use the same ticket later on for the makeup, but I would imagine that many of those fans do not go to the makeup games.

by Jim5/1/2017 7:12:46 PM

That revenue is already set then, if you're talking about tickets. What they lose in revenue from a rainout is the food sales, the beer sales, all of the things that go along with a ticket. If someone doesn't then use the ticket for the makeup date, then it's a net zero for the amount of added items/food they purchase. That's where the loss is. So, you'll see the team try to spur spending with value-added tickets or increased offers on those days for all-inclusive seats, etc.

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 7:13:56 PM

Do you see a scenario where the Cards are both sellers and buyers at the deadline if they are within 4 games of the division, yet still disappointing in their play when the deadline rolls around? Example: Trading Lynn in his final year for a nice return, but also trading for the big bat desired for the long term? Thanks for the chat, as always.

by Jordan5/1/2017 7:14:01 PM

I do not, know. I'm open to hear if any of the chatters have one.

by Derrick Goold5/1/2017 7:14:15 PM

Thanks for the chat, DG!I must respectfully disagree re Allen Cordoba. I'm pretty sure that no MLB had ever taken a rookieball player and had him stick on their major league roster all season -- and Cordoba was not even a top 20 prospect in the Redbird organization. To draw an analogy, I would say the Padres tried a 35-foot hook shot, and they made it. But that doesn't mean the Cardinals were wrong not to defend a 35-foot hook shot -- it's just too unlikely to go in.

by Alan5/1/2017 7:14:22 PM

Here's the deal, though: The Padres showed that they were willing to make a move like that before, so it needed to be baked-in to any discussion the Cardinals had about protecting players. Do they protect depth cogs that can be replaced via six-year free agency? (Clearly, in the Hazelbaker case they decided, no, don't protect the six-year free agents) Do they protect impact players, even down in the system, because, news flash, there are teams like the Padres who are tanking and just collecting upside talent, and have already done so once from the Cardinals system? Yeah, probably want to think about protecting those players. Impact players have value. Now Cordoba is building it with some other team.

That said, I would like to find a way to do a story on whether all of this is actually detrimental to Cordoba's development. Blah blah blah about the teams and the teams' concerns -- what about the individual player who could have his true potential abbreviated or apprehended because of this push?